The Executive Director of Lake Chad Research Institution, Dr Oluwasina Olabanji has said the success of agriculture largely depends on the nature and extent of use of mass media in mobilizing farmers for the adoption of improved agricultural technologies.
Dr. Olabanji said this during the first Olatunde Abudu Annual Lecture series facilitated by the Egba Science Education Foundation, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The foundation initiated the lecture series to honour the founder of the foundation, the Nonagenarian and the Maiyegun of Egbaland, Chief Olatunde Abudu .
Also at the lecture the Alake and Paramount Ruer of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremo Gbadebo and the Osile of Oke-Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso among others including the leadership and members of Abeokuta Club were present .
Speaking on the theme “Impact of Science and Technology in Agriculture”, Olabanji said the social media provides farmers with a quick and easy way to build relationship and interact with commodity stakeholders in the value chain which has made most farmers worldwide to be using the social media as an adequate way of advertising their products.
He said, “Many farmers worldwide are now using the social media as an adequate way of advertising their product, accessing weather forecast, market information and financial information in different languages”.
He, however, made it clear that despite the long existence of extension institution, coverage is still limited.
He added “the long existence of extension institution and technology transfer programmes, the extent of coverage is still limited and the quality of potential beneficial to new technology transfer is often underutilized.
“Increased investment in modern technologies is necessary in improving the productivity and sustainability of farming to cope with biotic and antibiotic stresses which are set to worsen with climate change.” The foundation in it’s communique issued after the event submitted that “Science and Technology has reduced drudgery in farming activities and it has also improved efficiency in use of agricultural inputs and resultant yields per unit area of farmland.